


P.M.D Vulpix's Sadness

by Lady_Fenikkusu



Series: Pokémon Mystery Dungeons; Icy Winds [1]
Category: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: F/M, Not Beta Read, Old Work, Sadness, loss of partner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 04:04:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21068546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Fenikkusu/pseuds/Lady_Fenikkusu
Summary: Vulpix has lost her friend after they worked so hard to save their little home from a meteor impact. Now she waits for him to come back, holding on to the promise that he made about seeing her again someday.





	P.M.D Vulpix's Sadness

**Author's Note:**

> This was written way, way back, and had been up on my DA Page and FF.net, I found it again after looking for a different work after reading over the old version I decided to revamp it and the follow on work I did.

The normally golden sand shining silver in the light of the full moon, the pawprints of a single Pokémon, were swept away by the gentle waves of the ocean as the lone walker continued her path. No one was outside at this late hour, all the Pokémon in the village were either tucked up in bed and sleeping or enjoying the night by the warm fire of Wigglytuff's Explorers Guild.

She should be there with them, enjoying the time to relax and rest, but she couldn’t, her heart called out for another and it drove her here every night to walk the sands no matter the weather, trying to find any sign of the one she sought. 

But even with the full moon's light, her search was in vain this night as it had been for the last night and the night before that, there was nothing beyond the horizon and each night she found nothing, the pain in her chest became worse. 

She stumbled in the sand as her limbs refused to carry her any longer and she cried, the face of the one she searched for and the precious memories of her time with him flashed by her mind to torment her more. Seeing his face again, the smiles, the times they'd been together made her feel numb and cold.

She remembered everything vividly, from the first time he appeared washed up on this very beach with no memory of who he was or where he came from. The whispered words they shared at nights, snuggled together in the straw bed or on the floor during their missions together, the promises made. That final, painful good-bye when he's body had begun to fade becoming a ball of light and then floating off into the sky, leaving her cold and alone on the island she called home.

Every night she dreamed of him, felt his arms around her. She felt his warmth, always soft and caring, press against hers, making her feel safe just being close to him. She heard him whisper the way he felt around her, that human word 'love' came from him so many times she couldn't remember a time she never even knew the word. But every morning she'd wake up and search for him in her room, even going as far as to call for him. 

Then the cold reality would sink in and she would feel the warmth from her dreams leave her and curl up again, not to sleep but to cry and softly repeat his name over and over again in some hope it would make him appear again. There was no denying it, every Pokémon who had known him knew that the two were more than friends and exploration partners, they were lovers and ever since he had left Vulpix's life had become miserable.

She tried to continue her career as an explorer, but the memories that came with each trip out of the Guild made it hard for her to focus and after a month, she stopped going on missions, she stopped going to Wigglytuff's Guild regularly and returned to the flaming hut that was her home near the beach, searching every day and night for any sign of the one her heart called for.

Yet, even though she found nothing in the months she’d spent out here alone searching without pause, she felt a painful realization creep into her mind.

Vulpix didn't know how long she'd been crying when she felt something soft cover her body and a spark of hope struck her fast as she looked up, a few tears jolting lose from the movement and she spoke for the first time. "Riolu?"

"No child.” A gentle voice soothed as she was covered by the golden tails of the old Ninetails, the elder female’s face soft with sympathy as she looked down at her. "You will catch a cold out here alone."

"I, I was looking for-”

“Riolu.” The Ninetails said and tenderly pressed her nose to the soft red tufted of fur on her head. “I know what you’ve been doing out here, little one. Night after night you walk this beach, searching and hoping for his return.”

“Are you here to help me?” Vulpix dared to ask, her aching heart already so frail the answer would either shatter it or hold it together just that little longer.

“There is no way for me to help you, child, my power is here and it is only strong here, not in the human world. That is a world where we are not understood, where we are not free to live as we chose as we do here. My Master was cruel, and he was wicked, he claimed he loved us, but he only wanted powerful Pokémon and when we failed him, we were punished. But we survived and he suffered for his lies and his punishment is still going even now. Riolu was not my master, but he was human, and even though he claimed to love you, to want to be with, there is always a chance that his heart was changed as he returned to the human world, his memories of his human life were more comforting and welcoming then the life he had made with you.” The old Ninetails said, “But you already know that, don’t you child?”

“But he promised!” Vulpix whined, shaking her head to try and shake the reality away. “He promised he’d come back, that we’d see each other again! He promised!”

“Sometimes the heart can be swayed from what it desires by what is familiar.” The old Ninetails said and gently pulled the smaller fox to her with a gentle paw. “And the hearts of humans are different than ours.”

Unable to hold back anymore Vulpix broke down, the harsh reality of the passed few months finally settling over her.

~~

When Vulpix opened her eyes again, she found herself not in her own home or at the beach but the room she and Riolu had shared in at the Wigglytuff’s Guild, the old Ninetails curled around her to share warmth as she looked around the room, it still looked the same and her old pack and badge were still set out, ready and waiting for her to reclaim them. Slowly she lowered herself back on to the straw bed and warmth of the old Ninetails’ tails, hoping that it would chase the coldness away from her body.

He wasn’t coming back.

Despite his promises, his whispered thoughts of their future together, he wasn’t coming back to her and she wasn’t going to see him again.

Was it worth continuing the career he had helped her form, to find a new partner and keep going on with her dreams without him? Or would it be easier to just go it alone? She didn’t know, and she didn't know how long she stayed in the Guild, tended by the ACT team, Wigglytuff, Sunflora and the Old Ninetails, slowly regaining her strength and energy.

She sat up, looking at the pack and badge and then out the window to where the sky was starting to brighten again, then turned to the old Ninetails, who was laid by the fire, quietly watching her with a small smile on her muzzle.

“What would you do?” Vulpix asked.

“Keep going.” The Ninetails said, “But I am old and know how life can hurt and shape us. I know how the stings of loss and betrayal can last for years. You are young and this sting is no doubt a more painful blow then the loss of your mother.” She said standing up with a light grunt. “However, you will recover this child and you will make new friend and find me dreams to follow, as we all do. And eventually Riolu will become a memory that is not painful to visit.”

“Even if it hurts now?”

The old Ninetails lightly licked her head tuft. “Loss will always hurt, child, but it can only hurt us as long as we allow it too. Pain will eventually leave us and we can begin to heal.”

“How are you so wise?” She asked. 

“Old age.” The old one smiled and then nodded to the badge. “That badge is yours, because you earnt it, not because of him. It was your dream to explore the world and help others, it was you who chose to follow the danger and save our world, you who stood up to the Legendary Masters of our world and won their aid. You did all of that child, without you, he couldn’t have survived here. You made his time here the focus of your time together, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do all it alone or with someone else.” 

Vulpix nodded, listening while she looked at the badge, it had been her dream to wear it, to help those who had no way to help themselves. 

It would be an insult to all those she had helped before if she just stopped doing what she had come to love doing.

~~

Wigglytuff smiled as she watched Nanny Kangaskong neatly tie a scarf on Vulpix, and then carefully pin the Badge of his Guild to the fabric, much to the joy and cheers of the Village. The Old Ninetails watched form a distance and then stood and bowed her head to the Guild Master and left to her own home, while the Vulpix went to the board to see what there was to do.

The loss would still be there and there would be up and down days, but Wigglytuff knew that at least now, Vulpix would have friends to help her cope with that loss.

He could only hope it would be enough.


End file.
